Machine for blowing reflectors



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' L. H. DOLAN.

I MACHINE FOR BLUYWINGREFLEUTORS. No. 552,051. Patented Dec. 24, 1895.

A TTOHNEYS,

llllllu H.111: ,f

OTUW mo @1 5 PAW (No Mqdel.)

v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. H. DOLAN, v MACHINE FOB. BLOWING REFLEGTORS. No. 552,051.

Patented'Dec. 24, 13,95.

A TTOHNE Y8 WITNESSES:

I ATENT FFlCE.

LAWRENCE H. DOLAN, OF ALEXANDRIA, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR BLOWING REFLECTORS.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 552,051, dated December 24, 1895.

Application filed February 6, 1895. Serial No. 537/180. (N model.)

To all whom, it ntcty concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE H. DOLAN, of Alexandria, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have. invented a new and Improved Machine for Blowing Reflectors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in machines adapted to be used in blowing glass reflectors such as are used on oil and electric lamps and with gas-jets; and the object of my invention is to produce a very simple and efficient machine which has a two-part mold adapted to shape accurately the reflector as it is blown, which has a convenient means of continually moving the mold so as to prevent the glass from blurring, which has a convenient means of raising and lowering the plunger which forms the lower part of the mold, and which in general is constructed and operated in such a way that reflectors can be made much more rapidly than when made in the ordinary manner.

To these ends my invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mold, showing the upper part thrown open. Fig. 4 is a central cross-section of the mold; and Fig. 5 is a broken plan view of the upper part of the mold, showing how the two sections are hinged together.

The machine is provided with a suitable frame 10, which rests on a base 11, and the frame carries near the top the mold, which has an upper part 12, formed of two similar sections which are hinged together, as shown at 13 in Fig. 5, and this upper half of the mold has a concaved bottom, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to give the proper shape to the reflector, which is formed between the top and bottom portions of the mold.

The upper portion 12 of the mold is pro vided with a vertical bore 1% to receive the blowpipe, which bore is recessed slightly, as

shown at 15, in order that a ball on the pipe may be fastened in place, and this upper portion of the mold has a neck 16, which turns in guides 16, as presently described, and above the neck is a collar 17 which turns on the guides and prevents the displacement of the mold. The guides 16 are hinged together at one end, as shown atlS, so that they may be thrown open when desired to permit the opening of the mold, and to facilitate this action one of the guides is fixed to the top of the frame 10, while the other is provided with a suitable handle 19.

In order that the two sections of the upper portion 12 of the mold may fit closely together, the swinging section is provided with a pin 20, (see Fig. 3,) which enters a socket 21 in the opposite section. To still further guide the mold in its rotary motion the collar 17 has on the under side near its periphcry a groove 23, which follows a guide 22, this being fastened to the hinged guide 16.

The upper portion 12 of the mold is also provided with projecting peripheral lugs 24, which have depending coupling-pins 25 adapted to enter lugs 26 on the periphery of the bottom portion 27 of the mold, and one of these pins 25 is longer than the others, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 4, so that when the bottom 27 is dropped the long pin will still be in engagement with its lug and so guide the other lugs 26 upon the pins 25. The remaining pins 25 are of such a length that when the bottom part 27 of the mold is in its lowest position the lower ends of said pins 25 will stand slightly above the same, so as to permit the finished reflectors to be removed from the mold and also to permit the sections 17 of the upper part 12 of the mold to be separated from each other, which would not be possible were not one of said pins or engaging devices 25 normally out of operative position:

The bottom 27 of the mold has a convex upper surface corresponding to the concave surface 14 of the upper part 12 of the mold, and a space is left between the top and bottom portions corresponding to the thickness of a reflector.

The bottom 27 of the mold has a central recess in its top surface, which when a plain reflector is to be molded is filled by the block 28, (see Fig. 1,) but if desired this block may be removed, and then when the reflector is formed a projection may be made in the center of it which may be removed after the reflector is formed, thus leaving a hole in which the bulb of an electric lamp, the chimney of an oil-lamp, or other chimneys or bulbs may be inserted.

The bottom 27 is carried by a plunger 29 which slides vertically in the frame 10, and the plunger turns in a collar 30 near its foot, which collar is pivoted to a treadle 31, this being fulcrumed on a link 32 on a bracket 33 which is secured to the base 11, and thus the blower, while making the reflector, may place his foot on the treadle 31 and hold the bottom 27 in place until the reflector is formed, after which he can remove his foot and permit the bottom to drop. This arrangement alsoenables him to bring just the desired pressure against the reflector as it is being formed.

The plunger 29 is adapted to be turned, and when turned to turn the mold 12 27, and to this end the plunger has on it a sleeve 34 which is longitudinally slotted, as shown at 35, to receive a pin 36 on the plunger, and thus the plunger may slide vertically without affecting the sleeve, but both turn together. The sleeve 34 is provided with a pinion 37 which meshes with a segmental rack 38 which is journaled on the post 39 and slideson a guide 40 carried by a support 41. The rack is provided with a suitable handle 42, which the boy will grasp while the blower is blow: ing the reflector, the boy revolving the mold completely while the blower holds his blowpipe stationary, as by turning the handle and rack the pinion 37 is turned and the motion imparted to the sleeve 34, plunger 29 and mold 12 27, which being kept in constant motion prevents the glass from blurring.

lVhen the machine is to be used the upper portion 12 of the mold is closed, and when closed fastens the blowpipe into the bore 14, the plunger 29 is raised by means of the treadle 31, so as to bring the bottom 27 of the mold into the position shown in Fig. 4:, and the blower then blows the glass into the space between the top and bottom of the mold, meanwhile turning the mold by means of the rack 38 and the gear connection described until the reflector is finished, when the mold is opened and the reflector removed. By making a reflector in this way it is completely and nicely finished, and thus saves the expense in finishing in a glory-hole, as is usual in making reflectors. The machine described is particularly adapted for blowing reflectors; but it will be seen that it may be utilized for forming other articles in a similar way by simply making the necessary change in the shape of the formingportions of the mold.

In the foregoing description I have shown and described the machine with the mold vertically separable; but it will be understood that, if desired, the mold may be horizontally separablethat is, the plunger may be made to move horizontally-with the same effect.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by'Letters Patent- 1. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with the reciprocating mold bottom, of the mold top formed of hinged sections having a reduced neck, and the hinged guides shaped to fit the neck of the said mold, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the kind described, the combination with the reciprocating mold bottom, of the mold top formed of hinged sections having a central bore to receive a blow pipe, a reduced neck, a top collar, and the hinged guides shaped to fit the neck beneath the collar, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame, guides secured thereto, one of said guides being movable toward and from the other, a mold compris ing two parts one of which is movable toward and from the other, one part of said mold being rotatively mounted between said guides and the other part being rotatively mounted in the frame, and means for rotating said mold, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a machine of the character described the combination of a frame, guides secured thereto, one of said guides being movable toward and from the other, a mold comprising two parts one of which is movable toward and from the other, one part of said mold being composed of two sections held together and rotatively mounted between said guides and the other part of the mold being rotatively mounted in the frame, and means for rotating said mold, substantially as set forth.

LAWRENCE H. DOLAN.

Witnesses:

J. E. HALL,

SUMMERS. 

